DJ Shadow: A Journey Of Hip Hop
By FrankieLoo
DJ Shadow began his music career as a disc jockey for the UC Davis radio station KDVS. During this period he was significant in developing the experimental hip hop style associated with the California-based Solesides record label. His early singles for the label, including In Flux and Lost and Found (S.F.L.), were genre-bending works of art merging elements of funk, rock, hip hop, ambient, jazz, soul, and used-bin found records.
DJ Shadow is often cited as a leading creator of U.S. trip hop. Though his music is hard to categorize, his early contributions were certainly important as an alternative to the voice of hip hop and gangsta rap, scenes that never accepted him. He cited groups such as Kurtis Mantronik, Steinski and Prince Paul as influences on his sample-based sound, further claiming that "lyrics ...were confining, too specific".
His music rarely features more than short clips of voices or vocal work. Although he previously released several original works (during 1991-1992 for Hollywood Records) by the time Mo' Wax's James Lavelle contacted him about releasing In/Flux on the fledgling imprint, it wasn't until his distribution association with Mo' Wax that his sound began to mature and cohere. He eventually formed the label Quannum Projects in 1999 out of the previous label Solesides.
DJ Shadow has also collaborated with fellow DJ Cut Chemist. Together they have created three popular mixtapes entitled Brainfreeze, Product Placement, and the recent The Hard Sell. These mixes fuse jazz, funk, and soul in the framework of a cohesive concept. He has also collaborated with several other artists, including Blackalicious, Zack de la Rocha, Keak Da Sneak, Mos Def, David Banner, and Dr. Octagon (also known as Kool Keith).
In 2006, he signed a deal with Universal Records. DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist toured in 2008 in support of their mixtape The Hard Sell with Kid Koala opening for them. In October of 2008, DJ Shadow met Alexander Wilson, Shadow has been quoted describing the experience, "inspiring." No immediate collaboration has been announced.
